Observation device.



F. W. WALQUIST. OBSERVATION DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22,1911.

1,042,730. Patented 0ct.29,1912.

Q EIllmumlgfnmmmlil "II|I||IIIliilllIlIllllUlllllllll UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE FRANK w. wnmursr, F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, nssrenon 'roEnwAni) znnm, oF

BUFFALO, nEw YoEK.

OBSERVATION DEVICE.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct 29,1912.

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. WALQUIST, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Observation Devices, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to an observation device or fitting which isintended to be placed in a line of piping or conduit for the purpose ofpermitting the passage of liquid, gas or other material through thepiping to be observed.

It, is the object of this invention to provide an observation fittin ofthis character which can be readily app ied to or removed from the lineof piping intended to receive the same without necessitatingdismembering this piping, to so mount the cylindrical sight glass thatthe same forms practically a contmuation'or part of the line of piping,to provide means for packing and holding the sight glass that the samewill not be subjected to any end pressure which would be liable tofracture the same, and to so con struct the glass holderthat the sameafiords the maximum protection for the glass against breakage but whichpermits of readily replacing the glass in case the same should bebroken.

In the accompanying drawings: Figurel is a side elevation of my improvedobservation device or fitting-arranged in a line of piping. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross section thereof,

in line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

The piping with which my observation device or fitting is associated maybe of any suitable construct-ion and employed for conducting anysuitable liquid, gas or other material'and particularly material whichis under pressure. As shown in the drawings, this piping comprises twopipe or conduit sections 1, 1 which are arranged axially in line andprovided on their opposing ends which are spaced apart with annularflanges 2, 2. These flanges may be secured to these pipe sections in anysuitable manner, for instance, by means of a screw joint, as shown inFig. 2.

M improved observation device or fitting is p aced into the spacebetween the opposing ends of the pipe sections and comprises a metalframe 3 and a cylindrical sight glass 4 which is mounted in the frame orholder axially in line with the pipe sections.

In its general organization the frame or holder of the observationfitting comprises two sectionseach of which has an outer sup-' portingor coupling ring 5, an inner supporting or coupling ring 6 spaced asuitable distance apart from the outer coupling ring and arrangedaxially in line therewith and a plurality of longitudinal connectingbars 7 each of which is connected at itsinner and outer ends with theinner and outer coupling rings respectively. The inner and outercoupling rings and the connecting bars of each holder section arepreferably cast in one piece, as shown in the drawings. The innercoupling rings of both holder sections are detachably connected witheach other which connection may be effected by any suitable means butpreferably by means of a screw joint 8, as shown in Fig. 2 The outercoupling rings of the holder are connected with the flanges of' the pipesections, respectively, this connection being preferably effectedbymeans of bolts 9, as shown in the drawings, although any othersuitable means may be employed for this purpose.

In order to secure a tight joint between each outercoupling ring andpipe flange, if this should be necessary, a packing ring or gasket 10 isinterposed between these parts,

.as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The bore of the outer coupling rings of the holder is the same orsubstantially the same as that of the pipe sections so as to practicallyform eontinuations of these pipes but the bore of the inner couplingrings is considerably greater than that of the outer coupling rings andthe diameter of the periphery ofthe sight glass so as to form aclearance space between the inner sides of these rings and theconnecting bars and the periphery of the sight glass which is arrangedwithin the frame. The sight glass is arranged axially in line with thepipe sections and outer coupling ring and its bore is of the samediameter, or substantially so, as that of the pipe section and outercoupling rings, so that this glass practically forms a continuation ofthe pipe vsystem and therefore "does not interfere with the free flow ofas or other material through the the liquid,

y avoiding all liability of ma same, there terial lodging in the pipingat the observation fitting which otherwise would necessitate occasionaldismembering of the parts for cleaning. v v

At its opposite ends the sight glass projects into annular rabbets,seats or recesses 11 formed on the opposing inner sides of the outercoupling rings. The glass is held at opposite ends in the recesses ofthese outer rings and securely packed against leakage by means which arepreferably constructed as follows: 12, 12 represent two annularpackingspr rings of any suitable flexible or fibrous material each ofwhich bears at its bore and periphery against the periphery 'of thesight glass at one end thereof and the bore of one of the rabbets whileits inner flat end bears against the bottom of the respective rabbet.13. 13 represent two screw glands of annular or ring-shaped form each ofwhich surrounds the cylindrical sight glass at one end thereof and isprovided externally with a screw thread which engages with an internalscrew thread formed in the bore of one of the rabbets. llpon tighteningeach of these glands the same bearsagainst one of the packing ringswhereby the latter is pressed with its outer end against the bottom ofthe respective rabbet and also caused to spread outwardly against thebore of the rabbet and inwardly against the periphery of the sightglass, thereby producing a tight joint between the sight glass and theholder for preventing leakage at this place from the conduit.

The diameter of the bore of each gland is larger than that of theperiphery of the sight glass so that the latter is out of contact fromthe gland. The sight glass is free from any end pressure and onlysubjected to inward pressure of the packing ring inasmuch as the sightglass, owing to its cylindrical construction, is capable of withstandingconsiderable inwardpressure. lt is therefore possible to produce aperfectly tight joint between the glass and its holder without liabilityof fracturing the glasses would be the case if this packing eirertedendwise pressure against the sight g ass.

The turning of the glands may be efi'ected in various ways butpreferably by means of a spanner wrench constructed to engage noaaraowith notches 14: formed in the edges of the glands.

If for any reason the sight glass should become broken the same can beeasily renewed by first removing the holder laterally from between theflanges of the pipe sections and then disconnecting the two sections ofthe holder, these parts being reassembled reversely to the order justdescribed after a new sight glass has been put in place. i

This observation fitting is exceedingly simple in construction and as itis well protected the same is not liable to get out of order.Furthermore, the construction as a whole is very compact and does notoccupy more space than an ordinary pipe coupling, thereby rendering thesame particularly desirable for use in close quarters.

I claim as my invention:

1. An observation device comprising a holder having two sections each ofwhich has inner and outer rings and longitudinal barsconnecting saidinner and outer rings, said inner rings being connected and each of theouter rings being provided on its inner side with an annular vrabbet,-acylindrical sight glass arranged at its opposite ends in said rabbets,packing rings surrounding said glass within said rabbets, and annularglands each engaging one of said packing rings and connected with theadjacent outer ring.

2. An observation device comprising a holder having two sections each ofwhich has inner and outer rings and longitudinal bars connecting saidinner and outer rings, said inner rings being connected by a screw jointand each of the outer rings being provided on its inner side with anannular rabbet the bore of which is screw threaded, a cylindrical sightglass arranged at its on posite ends in said rabbets, packing ringssurrounding said glass within said rabbets and annular glands eachengaging one of said packing rings and connected with the adjacent outerring.

Witness my hand this 18th day of July, 1911.

FRANK W. WALQUIST.

Witnesses: I

GHARLES A. NAGEL, ELEANOR STURTZER.

